A systematic review of thromboembolic complications and outcomes in hospitalised COVID-19 patients

BMC Infect Dis. 2024 May 10;24(1):484. doi: 10.1186/s12879-024-09374-1.

Abstract

Thromboembolic (TE) complications [myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, deep vein thrombosis (DVT), and pulmonary embolism (PE)] are common causes of mortality in hospitalised COVID-19 patients. Therefore, this review was undertaken to explore the incidence of TE complications and mortality associated with TE complications in hospitalised COVID-19 patients from different studies. A literature search was performed using ScienceDirect and PubMed databases using the MeSH term search strategy of "COVID-19", "thromboembolic complication", "venous thromboembolism", "arterial thromboembolism", "deep vein thrombosis", "pulmonary embolism", "myocardial infarction", "stroke", and "mortality". There were 33 studies included in this review. Studies have revealed that COVID-19 patients tend to develop venous thromboembolism (PE:1.0-40.0% and DVT:0.4-84%) compared to arterial thromboembolism (stroke:0.5-15.2% and MI:0.8-8.7%). Lastly, the all-cause mortality of COVID-19 patients ranged from 4.8 to 63%, whereas the incidence of mortality associated with TE complications was between 5% and 48%. A wide range of incidences of TE complications and mortality associated with TE complications can be seen among hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Therefore, every patient should be assessed for the risk of thromboembolic complications and provided with an appropriate thromboprophylaxis management plan tailored to their individual needs.

Keywords: Arterial thromboembolism; Deep vein thrombosis; Mortality; Myocardial infarction; Pulmonary embolism; Stroke; Venous thromboembolism.

Publication types

  • Systematic Review

MeSH terms

  • COVID-19* / complications
  • COVID-19* / epidemiology
  • COVID-19* / mortality
  • Hospitalization* / statistics & numerical data
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Myocardial Infarction / complications
  • Myocardial Infarction / epidemiology
  • Myocardial Infarction / mortality
  • Pulmonary Embolism / epidemiology
  • Pulmonary Embolism / etiology
  • Pulmonary Embolism / mortality
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Stroke / epidemiology
  • Stroke / mortality
  • Thromboembolism* / epidemiology
  • Thromboembolism* / etiology
  • Thromboembolism* / mortality
  • Venous Thromboembolism / epidemiology
  • Venous Thromboembolism / etiology
  • Venous Thromboembolism / prevention & control
  • Venous Thrombosis / epidemiology
  • Venous Thrombosis / etiology